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Construction on new Lambton College residence to begin this month

June 19, 2025

The Independent There will be a new student residence at Lambton College, but it won’t be owned or operated by the educational institution. Lambton College has struck a deal with a private equity firm and a construction company to build and operate the long-planned college residence. In a news release, officials say after four years of planning, the college has

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Two face drug charges after crash near Petrolia

June 19, 2025

Two people are facing charges after a crash on Petrolia Line. Early Saturday morning, Lambton OPP were called to a single vehicle crash on Petrolia Line and found the vehicle had left the scene. Officers found the vehicle in the ditch at the intersection of Petrolia Line and Plowing Match Road a short time later but no one was inside.

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Petrolia’s cowgirl making her mark 

June 18, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent You can’t help but notice the giant belt buckle Emilee Langford is wearing. It says Ontario Pole Bending Champion. The Petrolia woman won the high school competition last year after getting hooked on rodeo by one of the best competitors in the world, Alvinston’s own Tyler Foster. “He started bringing me along and letting me saddle horses

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Wind developers invited to hold public meeting

June 18, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Brooke-Alvinston council is inviting a wind developer to hold a public meeting to talk about their project. But it’s pretty clear, municipal politicians are not going to support it.  Venfor Inc, a wind development company, wants to build a project in Brooke-Alvinston and Adelaide Metcalfe. Director Peter Budd, who lives in Adelaide-Metcalfe, says 17 turbines would be

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Bluewater Health shouldn’t have been collecting SINs says privacy commissioner report

June 18, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Bluewater Health had no legal reason to collect Social Insurance Numbers from its patients. That information is contained in a just released report by Francisco Woo, an investigator in the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. Woo’s 35-page report examines whether Bluewater Health, its IT provider TransForm Shared Services and the four other regional hospitals affected

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Bluewater Health should have been clear about ‘hostile encryption and its impact’ after cyber attack

June 18, 2025

Information and Privacy Commission report says patient data lock down by hackers ‘overshadows the scale of data’ stolen and sold on the dark web Heather Wright/The Independent Ontario’s Information Privacy Commissioner says Bluewater Health should have notified every single patient whose data was locked down, but not released, that their information was affected during the October 2023 cyber hack. That

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Conservation foundation closes Greenhill Garden

June 18, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Overwhelmed by expenses, lack of workers, theft of equipment and homelessness encampments, the St. Clair Region Conservation Foundation has closed a Wilkesport landmark. Greenhill Gardens – a once privately-owned oasis in rural St. Clair Township – closed Monday. The gardens were cultivated by Joy Robson for years. She and her husband, Bill, allowed people to come and

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Greenhill Gardens closed; upkeep of six-acre garden ‘challenging’

June 16, 2025

The Independent Greenhill Gardens – a once privately-owned oasis in Wilkesport – is closed to the public. That from the St. Clair Region Conservation Foundation which took over the grounds in 2024. The gardens were cultivated by Joy Robson for years and her husband, Bill, allowed people to come and walk through the gardens for free. After the death of

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Thedford EMS changes years away

June 15, 2025

The Independent Thedford residents won’t be losing their ambulance station for some time. That from Lambton County officials. Last month, Lambton Shores councillors voiced concern about a county plan which would close the Thedford station and have Forest paramedics to cover their calls. Lambton EMS also plans to move the Grand Bend station near Pinery Park hoping to provide better

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No ATV rally for Petrolia Ag Society

June 15, 2025

The Independent There will not be ATVs rumbling through Petrolia this summer. Kelly Humphrey of the Petrolia Enniskillen Agricultural Society came to council in mid-May asking if PEAS could host an ATV rally with Greenwood Park as a starting and finishing point and using Petrolia streets to get to the starting and finishing point.  Julie Bullock, director of parks and

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Fair banner may not fly

June 14, 2025

The Independent The Moore Agricultural Society has some big plans for the 175th anniversary of the Brigden Fair. But not all of their plans may work out. The ag society has asked for and received several approvals from St. Clair Township council for special events at the landmark fair including allowing a low-level Canadian Armed Forces Flyby and helicopter landings

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Remembering Newell Hastings

June 14, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Sunday, Newell Hasting’s service to King and Country over a century ago was remembered in a peaceful church cemetery near Watford. Hasting was born in Petrolia and his family moved to Watford around the turn of the century. He signed up to serve in the miltia with Watford’s 149th Battalion before being called up for service. He

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